City United Academy (CUA)

Learning Tree Montessori Nursery School 309 Preston Road, HARROW, Middlesex HA3 0QQ

p.1

Inspection date 10 October 2018 Previous inspection date 21 March 2018

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

p.1

The provision is good

n The manager has strong partnerships with other professionals involved in children's care, and is able to access support for children who require additional help. All children, including children who have special educational needs (SEN), make good progress from their starting points. n Staff are extremely good role models. They help all children develop a good vocabulary, including children who are learning English as an additional language. All children become confident communicators. n Children are very independent. They select equipment, concentrate and engage in their chosen learning activity, and persevere to its completion. n The manager monitors staff performance effectively. She constructively encourages staff to develop skills that enhance teaching.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

n On some occasions, staff do not consider the group size for activities. Younger children find it hard to engage and disrupt learning for the most able children. n Although the manager monitors individual children's development, she is not tracking the progress of groups of children to identify less obvious gaps in their learning and strengthen teaching and learning further.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

n consider the size of group activities, to help younger children engage to enhance their learning n build on the good monitoring of individual children's progress to include tracking of groups of children, to strengthen teaching and learning further.

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed teaching and the interaction between staff and children. n The inspector sampled a range of documents, including children's development records and those relating to the suitability of staff. n The inspector and the manager completed a joint observation to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning. n The inspector held discussions with the staff about how children learn and develop. n The inspector discussed with the manager and staff their understanding of safeguarding children.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager reflects and evaluates practice to maintain good-quality care and education for children. Since the last inspection, staff have organised and planned activities outdoors that capture the interest of children and extend their learning. The manager leads the staff team well. Induction for new staff includes how to use the resources to good effect to enhance children's learning. The manager meets regularly with staff to discuss individual children and monitor their development. She monitors teaching and provides feedback that helps staff build on their skills. She ensures that all staff have a thorough understanding of child protection and wider safeguarding issues. Staff recognise the signs that children may be at risk of harm and know how to report any concerns to protect children's welfare. Safeguarding is effective.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff work closely with parents to identify what children know and can do and to plan effectively together for their learning. Staff support children who are learning English as an additional language. They celebrate with children when they count objects in their home language and repeat for children to hear the numbers in English. Staff provide children with extremely good support for early reading and writing. They help children hear and say letter sounds, preparing them to read words. Staff encourage children to make marks and to form letters to write their names. Staff introduce children to numbers in a wide variety of ways. They challenge children's mathematical knowledge. For example, they ask, 'A snowman has two eyes; we have two eyes, how many eyes altogether?' Staff help children to explore their ideas and build on their pretend play to develop their communication, reasoning and imagination. Staff listen to children's

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

conversations while they play. They join in and ask questions to challenge and extend children thinking.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff develop good relationships with parents. They get to know families well, which helps children to feel safe and secure. Staff help children to develop a respect for each other, play together and cooperate. Good teaching helps children to follow instructions and complete tasks independently. For example, staff send children on errands to collect resources to extend their play. Staff help children learn about healthy lifestyle choices. Children understand that apples and milk are good for their teeth.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children, including children who have SEN, learn a good range of skills that prepares them for their move to school. Young children develop a good vocabulary and the most able children blend sounds together and begin to read words. Children learn to count from one to 20 and the older children use their knowledge of numbers to add and subtract. They understand that numbers can represent other things, including the date. Children build stories with resources that support their role play and invite others to join their play. Children behave well.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 137819 Local authority Brent Inspection number 10077524 Type of provision Sessional day care

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Learning Tree Ltd

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 21 March 2018 Telephone number 02089 049413

p.4

reference number

Learning Tree Montessori Nursery School registered in 1994. The nursery operates from 8am to 4pm each weekday, for 44 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The provider employs two members of staff to work with her. The manager holds a qualification at level 4, and two other staff hold a qualification at level 3 and level 2. The nursery school follows the Montessori teaching ethos.

p.4

reference number

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

p.4

reference number

procedures set out in the guidance Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: www.ofsted.gov.uk/user .

p.5

reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.5